KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended higher today in line with most regional markets, supported by persistent buying in the finance and consumer stocks.

The index closed 8.42 points better at 1,842.94, after hovering between 1,837.51 and 1,844.83 throughout the day.

British American Tobacco and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia were among the top gainers, rising RM1.08 and 22 sen each to RM69.30 and RM13.58, respectively.

Most Asian markets rose today on expectations of possible delay in the US interest increase due to unexpected weak non-farm payrolls report for March.

A dealer said the weaker data had affirmed market views the earliest timeframe for the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates from record low may be in September.

Gainers outpaced losers by 395 to 377, while 342 counters were unchanged, 682 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Total volume was higher at 1.99 billion units worth RM1.67 billion from Friday’s 1.78 billion units worth RM1.28 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank added 5.0 sen to RM9.50, Public Bank gained 14 sen to RM19.16 and TNB increased two sen to RM14.32. Axiata was flat at RM7.07.

Tiger Synergy, which topped the most active counters, eased half-a-sen to 13 sen, while Ingenuity and Nova MSC earned half a sen each to 9.5 sen and 19.5 sen, respectively and APFT advanced 1.5 sen to 19.5 sen.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index rose 41.91 points to 12,624.94 and the FBMT100 Index increased 42.28 points to 12,321.37. The FBM Ace fell 13.64 points to 7,218.40.

The FBM Emas Syariah Index rose 30.33 points to 13,164.53. The FBM 70 dipped 8.10 points to 13,478.65.

On a sectoral basis, the Industrial Index improved 15.04 points to 3,371.13 and the Finance Index jumped 70.15 points to 16,398.09.

The Plantation Index fell 13.12 points to 7,799.17.

Main Market volume increased to 1.04 billion shares worth RM1.50 billion from Friday’s 807.98 million shares worth RM1.08 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market fell to 899.88 million units valued at RM182.51 million from 933.98 million units valued at RM192.8 million last week.

Warrants perked to 50.24 million shares worth RM7.47 million from 46.6 million shares worth RM5.58 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 105.53 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (144.59 million), construction (54.45 million), trade and services (371.07 million), technology (40.62 million), infrastructure (7.65 million), SPAC (20.35 million), finance (34.48 million), hotels (9.91 million), properties (230.11 million), plantations (13.30 million), mining (35,000), REITs (9.62 million) and closed/fund (145,000). — Bernama